15 Years + 1 Day, Spain's Submission for the Academy Award Nomination for Best Foreign Language Film. U.S. : None Yet. International Sales Agent: Latido
"It takes a village to raise a child" is a phrased coined more like an understatement than literal speech. The shared responsibility of providing a new individual with the guidelines to be a member of a determined society is indeed a collective effort that parents cannot accomplish alone. Multiple sources of encouragement and advising are required to embed the young and malleable mind with the tools to abide by the desired parameters, and to function as what is seen as civilized by that group. Teachers, mentors, and relatives, all bestow onto this untainted developing person their own cognitive skills that allow them to see the world in a specific way. In Gracia Querejeta’s heartwarming and thoughtful feature 15 Years +1 Day this joined task is incredibly crucial when the protagonist disrespectful and rebellious behavior gets out of hand.
Affluent homemaker and aspiring actress Margo (Maribel Verdú) is at wit's end unable to decipher the reasons for her teenage son’s constant misbehavior. Jon (Arón Piper), is an overly confident 14 year old troublemaker, who like many kids his age seems to have a hard time dealing with authority and anyone who prevents him from doing anything as he pleases. Expelled from school for pulling hazardous pranks on teachers and after mischievously poisoning the neighbor’s dog, his mother finds herself debating what to do with him. She is left with no alternative but to send him to a coastal town with his estrange grandfather Max (Tito Valverde). Once there, Jon is forced to adapt to life without much modern technology and Max’s strict moral standards as an ex-soldier.
To fight the intolerable boredom Jon makes friends with the local kids who instantly prove to be the wrong crowd. Nelson (Pau Poch), an Ecuadorian boy, is the leader of the pack of young bandits who steal and resell goods for a living. Then there is Elsa (Sfía Mohamed), a simple-minded but caring girl who acts as the voice of reason trying to prevent the testosterone-fueled brutes from acting impulsively. Believing it would help him get back on track, Max hires Toni (Boris Cucalón), a boy accused of being homosexual, to give Jon private lessons, which doesn’t suit him well. As part of the gang now, Jon expresses his aversion towards Toni, to which hardheaded Nelson responds by retaliating against the innocent dedicated young man. The aftermath of the attack leaves Jon in a coma, another boy dead, and a mystery, which Max will try to solve against the advise of his longtime romantic interest inspector Aledo (Belén López).
In this character driven piece about the complexity of parent/children relationships, Valverde marvelously plays a man whose incapacity to act irrationally and get in touch with his emotions has led him to live in a reclusive state. Strangely enough his relationship with Jon serves as a lesson on the fact that sometimes doing the wrong thing is what is best for the heart, and that love is not ruled by any absolute principles. His performance is matched by Piper’s, as the boy whose defiance simply hides the honest and loving guy battling with hormones and trying to understand the adults’ ambivalence. Seasoned actress Verdu can certainly turn any seemingly common role into a commendable acting job. Broken and surely regretful as Margo, she exposes herself as a villain to her own child and vents into deaf ears all the wrongdoings of her past. Touching and miraculously nuanced she proves once more why she is one of the most important Spanish performers of her generation.
Immensely entertaining, the film is reminiscent of master Pedro Almodvar’s work with a less stylized but equally successful analysis of the Spanish society. There is a witty and acidic comedic tone in the dialogue and intelligently developed characters throughout, all attributed to Querejeta's sophisticated writing. She penned and directed a film about male role models with a heavily feminine point of view. This intimate piece blends the evident unresolved family feuds with a whodunit plot, both of which reinforce the idea that every person is a reflection of his/her parents’ mistakes, achievements, idiosyncrasies, and prejudices. Querejeta makes sure to inform the viewer about every character’s family dynamics, their flaws and expectations of each other, and thanks to this the story about adolescent problems transmutes into a movingly insightful exploration of parenthood. Profound and engaging 15 Years +1 Day is a story about the children’s realization that parents are imperfect creatures, and that whatever they can teach or pass on is a diluted version of their fears and fascinations rather than fixed instructions for life.
Read more about all the 76 Best Foreign Language Film Submission for the 2014 Academy Awards...
"It takes a village to raise a child" is a phrased coined more like an understatement than literal speech. The shared responsibility of providing a new individual with the guidelines to be a member of a determined society is indeed a collective effort that parents cannot accomplish alone. Multiple sources of encouragement and advising are required to embed the young and malleable mind with the tools to abide by the desired parameters, and to function as what is seen as civilized by that group. Teachers, mentors, and relatives, all bestow onto this untainted developing person their own cognitive skills that allow them to see the world in a specific way. In Gracia Querejeta’s heartwarming and thoughtful feature 15 Years +1 Day this joined task is incredibly crucial when the protagonist disrespectful and rebellious behavior gets out of hand.
Affluent homemaker and aspiring actress Margo (Maribel Verdú) is at wit's end unable to decipher the reasons for her teenage son’s constant misbehavior. Jon (Arón Piper), is an overly confident 14 year old troublemaker, who like many kids his age seems to have a hard time dealing with authority and anyone who prevents him from doing anything as he pleases. Expelled from school for pulling hazardous pranks on teachers and after mischievously poisoning the neighbor’s dog, his mother finds herself debating what to do with him. She is left with no alternative but to send him to a coastal town with his estrange grandfather Max (Tito Valverde). Once there, Jon is forced to adapt to life without much modern technology and Max’s strict moral standards as an ex-soldier.
To fight the intolerable boredom Jon makes friends with the local kids who instantly prove to be the wrong crowd. Nelson (Pau Poch), an Ecuadorian boy, is the leader of the pack of young bandits who steal and resell goods for a living. Then there is Elsa (Sfía Mohamed), a simple-minded but caring girl who acts as the voice of reason trying to prevent the testosterone-fueled brutes from acting impulsively. Believing it would help him get back on track, Max hires Toni (Boris Cucalón), a boy accused of being homosexual, to give Jon private lessons, which doesn’t suit him well. As part of the gang now, Jon expresses his aversion towards Toni, to which hardheaded Nelson responds by retaliating against the innocent dedicated young man. The aftermath of the attack leaves Jon in a coma, another boy dead, and a mystery, which Max will try to solve against the advise of his longtime romantic interest inspector Aledo (Belén López).
In this character driven piece about the complexity of parent/children relationships, Valverde marvelously plays a man whose incapacity to act irrationally and get in touch with his emotions has led him to live in a reclusive state. Strangely enough his relationship with Jon serves as a lesson on the fact that sometimes doing the wrong thing is what is best for the heart, and that love is not ruled by any absolute principles. His performance is matched by Piper’s, as the boy whose defiance simply hides the honest and loving guy battling with hormones and trying to understand the adults’ ambivalence. Seasoned actress Verdu can certainly turn any seemingly common role into a commendable acting job. Broken and surely regretful as Margo, she exposes herself as a villain to her own child and vents into deaf ears all the wrongdoings of her past. Touching and miraculously nuanced she proves once more why she is one of the most important Spanish performers of her generation.
Immensely entertaining, the film is reminiscent of master Pedro Almodvar’s work with a less stylized but equally successful analysis of the Spanish society. There is a witty and acidic comedic tone in the dialogue and intelligently developed characters throughout, all attributed to Querejeta's sophisticated writing. She penned and directed a film about male role models with a heavily feminine point of view. This intimate piece blends the evident unresolved family feuds with a whodunit plot, both of which reinforce the idea that every person is a reflection of his/her parents’ mistakes, achievements, idiosyncrasies, and prejudices. Querejeta makes sure to inform the viewer about every character’s family dynamics, their flaws and expectations of each other, and thanks to this the story about adolescent problems transmutes into a movingly insightful exploration of parenthood. Profound and engaging 15 Years +1 Day is a story about the children’s realization that parents are imperfect creatures, and that whatever they can teach or pass on is a diluted version of their fears and fascinations rather than fixed instructions for life.
Read more about all the 76 Best Foreign Language Film Submission for the 2014 Academy Awards...
- 12/5/2013
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
Similar News
Picture Tree Intl. Scores Spanish Supernatural Crime Thriller ‘The Osha Rule,’ Starring Mariela Garriga (Exclusive)
- 4/30/2024
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Challengers Borrows A Key Element From Alfonso Cuaron's Best Movie
- 4/28/2024
- by Michael Boyle
- Slash Film
Austin Amelio Joins Maribel Verdú and Mariela Garriga in New Max Original Series ‘When Nobody Sees Us’
- 2/15/2024
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
Spain’s Feel Sales Snags ‘Allanamiento’ (Exclusive)
- 8/24/2023
- by Anna Marie de la Fuente
- Variety Film + TV
Feel Content Preps Six-Pack of Spanish Language Films for Cannes Film Market (Exclusive)
- 6/22/2021
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Berlin Sales Drivers – Key Spanish Movies at the European Film Market
- 3/2/2021
- by Emilio Mayorga and Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Gigi Hadid and Emily Ratajkowski Rock Massive Shoulder Pads at Jacquemus
- 1/30/2024
- by Pino Gagliardi
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Rita Ora, Nicholas Hoult & More Stars Attend Dior Homme Menswear Show During Paris Fashion Week
- 1/21/2024
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
The Queer Palestinian Character Changing TV
- 10/21/2023
- by Kalia Richardson
- Rollingstone.com
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.
More to explore
A24 Scoops Up Adam Wingard Action Movie ‘Onslaught’
- 5/2/2024
- by Borys Kit
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Kristen Stewart, Oscar Isaac to Star in Vampire Thriller ‘Flesh of the Gods’ for ‘Mandy’ Filmmaker
- 5/2/2024
- by Borys Kit
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Paul Rudd & Nick Jonas To Star In Musical Comedy ‘Power Ballad’; Filming Underway In Dublin With John Carney Directing — Cannes Market Hot Project
- 5/2/2024
- by Andreas Wiseman, Matt Grobar and Diana Lodderhose
- Deadline Film + TV
‘Cobra Kai’ Season 6 to Be Split Into Three Parts: Final Season Kicks Off in July, Series Finale Set for 2025
- 5/2/2024
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety - TV News
Emma Stone, Nathan Fielder and A24 to Produce ‘Checkmate,’ Ben Mezrich’s Chess Scandal Story
- 5/2/2024
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety - Film News
Meryl Streep Set to Receive Cannes Honorary Palme D’Or
- 5/2/2024
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Mel Brooks, Quinta Brunson To Be Honored At Peabody Awards
- 5/2/2024
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Rosie O’Donnell Joins ‘And Just Like That’ for Season 3
- 5/2/2024
- by Carly Thomas
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Elizabeth Banks, Jessica Biel to Star in ‘Better Sister’ Series Adaptation at Amazon
- 5/1/2024
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety - TV News
Carla Gugino to Play ‘Gone With the Wind’ Star Vivien Leigh in Biopic ‘The Florist’ (Exclusive)
- 4/30/2024
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety - Film News
Kristen Stewart, Oscar Isaac to Star in Vampire Thriller ‘Flesh of the Gods’ for ‘Mandy’ Filmmaker
- 5/2/2024
- by Borys Kit
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Paul Rudd & Nick Jonas To Star In Musical Comedy ‘Power Ballad’; Filming Underway In Dublin With John Carney Directing — Cannes Market Hot Project
- 5/2/2024
- by Andreas Wiseman, Matt Grobar and Diana Lodderhose
- Deadline Film + TV
Anthony Hopkins to Play Composer George Frideric Handel in ‘The King of Covent Garden’ Biopic
- 5/2/2024
- by Alex Ritman
- Variety - Film News
‘Never Look Away’ Review: Lucy Lawless Directs Fascinating Documentary on Death-Defying Photojournalist Margaret Moth
- 5/1/2024
- by Joe Leydon
- Variety - Film News
Quentin Dupieux’s ‘Daaaaaalí!’ Bought by Music Box for U.S. Distribution (Exclusive)
- 5/2/2024
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety - Film News
Thunderbolts* Star Olga Kurylenko On That Mysterious Asterisk: "They Changed A Few Things"
- 5/2/2024
- ComicBookMovie.com
Universal’s Leonardo da Vinci Film to Be Directed by ‘All of Us Strangers’ Helmer Andrew Haigh (Exclusive)
- 5/2/2024
- by Tatiana Siegel
- Variety Film + TV
Emma Stone, Nathan Fielder and A24 to Produce ‘Checkmate,’ Ben Mezrich’s Chess Scandal Story
- 5/2/2024
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety - Film News
Mattel’s ‘Masters of the Universe’ Moves From Netflix to Amazon for Summer 2026 Release, Travis Knight to Direct
- 5/2/2024
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety - Film News
Marvel’s ‘The Fantastic Four’ Adds Paul Walter Hauser
- 5/2/2024
- by Adam B. Vary and Angelique Jackson
- Variety - Film News
Robin Wright-Led ‘The Girlfriend’ Ordered To Series At Prime Video; Olivia Cooke, Laurie Davidson & Waleed Zuaiter Also Star
- 5/2/2024
- by Rosy Cordero
- Deadline Film + TV
‘Knuckles’ Paramount+ Series Sets Platform Record With Over 4 Million Hours Viewed
- 5/2/2024
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Rosie O’Donnell Joins ‘And Just Like That’ for Season 3
- 5/2/2024
- by Carly Thomas
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
‘Emily The Criminal’: John Patton Ford To Turn His 2022 Crime Thriller Into A TV Series, But Aubrey Plaza Not Returning To Star
- 5/2/2024
- by Ned Booth
- The Playlist
‘Cobra Kai’ Season 6 to Be Split Into Three Parts: Final Season Kicks Off in July, Series Finale Set for 2025
- 5/2/2024
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety - TV News